


Splendor

by umbrellaxey (Xeylah)



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, TAZ Big Bang 2018, but canon adjacent, julia is a badass, julia is a paladin of istus au, minor mentions of violence and wounds but nothing graphic, not canon compliant exactly, the major character death is just what happens in canon so no surprises there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-06 15:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16390013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xeylah/pseuds/umbrellaxey
Summary: Julia Waxmen is a dedicated Paladin of Istus, Goddess of Fate. She has always believed in Fate, but it's only after she dies that she learns how Fate works firsthand.Magnus Burnsides, however, isn’t the type of man to put much stock in what Fate wants. He rushes in: he gets what he wants out of life with his own two hands, or not at all. Magnus doesn’t think much about Fate. He learns to.





	Splendor

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the TAZ Bang coordinators and the amazing artists who teamed up with me for this! The artists [naktine](http://naktine.tumblr.com/) [ otternose](http://otternose.tumblr.com/) and[ somniens](http://thecurseofscotland.tumblr.com/) created the amazing art for this and deserve all the love and praise you can give! More thank yous and notes at the end!

There’s something about a town suspended high up on pillars of stone that makes you want to look up, instead of down. The sky is beautiful here, the stars are shining bright and clear in all their splendor. Magnus looks up as he walks through the empty streets of Raven’s Roost. He’s only got what he carries on his back and in his pockets, including a letter inviting him to study carpentry here with a man named Stephen Waxman who runs ‘The Hammer and Tongs’ in the Craftsmen’s Quarter. If somebody had asked how Magnus had received that letter, he wouldn’t be able to tell them. But nobody asks, and Magnus doesn’t wonder. (It feels like he’s always had it. It feels like someone just handed it to him a moment ago.)

It’s incredibly late, and despite the letter’s promise of a place to stay, Magnus decides that it is far too late to go banging on somebody’s door, especially his new boss. So, Magnus goes to the first tavern he sees. The lights are still on inside, spilling warmth out into the street. He can hear noises too, once he gets closer. He ducks his head under the sign hanging above the door that says ‘The Snuggly Duckling’ and lets himself inside.

He's immediately hit with the scent of bread and ale. There’s sounds of laughter and the clattering of drinks. Magnus feels instantly welcome, embraced by the cheerful atmosphere. The place is warmly lit and made almost entirely of expertly carved wood. Sturdy tables and chairs, along with everything from the bar to the walls and floor is sanded smooth and clearly made by hand with the sort of care and attention of someone who knows what they’re doing. He wonders how many carpenters work in the craftsmen’s quarter, and how many worked on this place.

Magnus greets the man at the bar and asks for a drink, taking it into the crowded common area to try and find an empty seat in all the chaos.

There’s a woman sitting at one of the tables next to an elderly couple with one empty seat. The old man seems to be telling a story that’s making her laugh, loudly and boisterously, throwing her head back with a smile. She’s got warmly colored skin that matches her bright smile and dark curls that spill from where she tied them back to frame her face. She’s wearing partial armor over her plainclothes: shinguards, pauldrons, and a breastplate that all look well worn, but cared for.

If Magnus is immediately smitten, he doesn’t quite admit it to himself, but he knows that she’s the kind of interesting and beautiful woman that he’ll be kicking himself over later if he doesn’t at least _try_ to talk to her.

Besides, the only open seat in the place seems a good enough excuse to approach her as any. Magnus walks up to the table and asks, “Do you mind if I sit here? This place is packed.”

The woman looks up at him with that same smile. “Of course. I don’t think we’ve met before, I’m Julia.” She reaches her hand out to him.

Magnus juggles his drink in his hands, only spilling a little, so he can shake her hand. “Magnus Burnsides. Nice to meet you Julia.” He sets his drink down and pulls out a chair.

The elderly couple continues their own conversation while Julia asks, “What brings you to Raven’s Roost, Magnus Burnsides? Just passing through?”

“Nah, I’m here for an apprenticeship, so I’ll be here for a while probably.” Magnus looks down while carefully scooching his chair closer to the table and notices the shield on the floor resting against Julia’s chair. It’s a circular, silver shield, and relatively simple except for the shimmering slice of gold cut diagonally through the middle. “Hey, cool shield!”

“Huh? Oh, thanks! It’s my holy symbol, so I keep it with me pretty much all the time.”

“Holy symbol, huh? Who’s it for?”

Julia grins proudly, “I’m a paladin of Istus.”

“Who-stus?”

“... Lady Istus, she’s the goddess of Fate. She’s not very well known, so I’m not surprised you haven’t heard of her,” she says kindly. “Her symbol is a golden needle, because she’s said to weave the tapestry of fate.”

“You believe in fate, huh? Guess that means it’s fate that you and me meet here…” Magnus wiggles his eyebrows at her.

Julia laughs right in his face.

“Cheeky! You think I haven’t heard that line before Burnsides?”

Magnus laughs in return. “Alright, guess I’ll have to try a little harder then. Can I buy you a drink?”

“I already have a drink,” she takes a sip to cover her smile.

“Okay… then how about… Arm wrestle me!”

That at least seems to surprise her.

“What?”

“Yeah!” he continues. “If I win, you let me ask you out for dinner tomorrow. And, if you win… then, uhh…” Magnus trails off. “Well, what do you want?”

“What makes you think I want anything from you?” She teases, smile wide across her face now.

“Ouch!” He leans back, pressing his hand to his heart, feigning hurt. “That  _wounds_ me! Come on, you don’t want anything from me? My shield? Some gold? There’s gotta be something.”

“Alright… I’ll decide after I win.”

“What?! That’s crazy! You could… steal all my clothes and make me jump into the fountain outside! You could make me give you all my money! You could… chop off my arm!” Magnus roars with laughter, delighted. “I’m in!”

She shakes her head at him, disbelieving but still smiling. “You think it’s going to be easy, don’t you? That’s why you’re agreeing.”

“No way! I mean, I am _definitely_ going to win, but you’re going to put up a real fight! Have you _seen_ your arms?” By this point, they have attracted quite a crowd from around the tavern.

Magnus feels like his grin is threatening to tear his face right off. Julia has a grin to match.

“Alright, you’re on Burnsides.”

He props his elbow on the table, wiggles his fingers with his hand in the air.

She takes it.

One of the patrons looking on takes it upon himself to count them down. “On your marks, get set, GO!”

In a burst of strength, Magnus manages to get her hand halfway to the table. But Julia is nothing if not patient and enduring. Slowly, she pushes his arm back up and over to the other side. No matter how hard he fights, she continues to gain ground. Just as his hand is about to touch the table, he stalls her, fighting back with every ounce of his massive strength. It’s then she throws her shoulder into it, slamming his hand down to win the match. She raises her arms in victory, jumps up and cheers.

The crowd surrounding them cheer for her, or console Magnus on his poor fortune. He learns that to challenge Julia Waxman at arm wrestling is a fool’s errand; she’s beaten everyone in here at least once. Soon enough the other patrons lose interest and  return to their own tables and drinks.

Julia grins at him as he thunks his head down on the table, groaning in defeat.

“Looks like I was fated to win, huh Burnsides? Shouldn’t have given me so many good ideas...”

He groans again, lifting his head up from the table. “Don’t make me jump in the fountain… it’s really, really cold out!”

As she looks at him, her smile softens into something warm. He can’t tell what she’s thinking.

“So?” He asks her. “What’ll it be, Julia Waxman? I’ll make good on my promise, I swear. Whatever you want.”

She thinks for barely another moment before she decides.

“Walk me home.”

Magnus leaps up from the table and begins to gather his things. They venture outside together, and Magnus takes the opportunity to glance at Julia now that she’s standing. He didn’t realize just how tall she was, just half a head shorter than himself, her eyes reach up to about his nose. She has her shield and what looks like a very large hammer slung across her back.

“So, which way?” he asks politely.

“This way, to the Craftsmen’s Quarter,” she points and starts to lead the way.

As they walk, Magnus looks around at the buildings around them. It seems like any normal town once you’re inside, but the way that the city itself is built up into the cliffside is an amazing feat of architecture. Even just looking around him at the basic buildings around him, he can tell that this place was built with care, and that the people who live here love their town. It’s quaint in a rustic way that makes Magnus feel right at home.

“Have you ever been to Raven’s Roost before, Magnus?” Julia asks him.

“No, it’s great though! It’s hard to believe I’ve never been here before. It feels like home.”

“Where are you from?” she asks.

“Oh, you know,” He gestures vaguely, but doesn’t answer.

“What did you do before coming here?” she tries again.

Magnus’s thoughts scatter in a way that he can’t quite put together. Before? He’s been so many places. He hasn’t been anywhere. He rubs the back of his neck. “I was traveling around for a while before I just sort of… ended up here.”

“Hmm,” she doesn’t seem completely sated with the answer, but leaves it be. “It’s a good place to end up.”

“Yeah?” he brightens. “I think I’ll be around for a while. I’ve got a pretty good thing set up… A job, a place to stay, at least for a little bit.”

“That’s good… I hope you’ll like it here, Magnus.”

“Thanks… I think I already do.”

Julia slows and stops outside her house. She sees a light still on in the second-floor window, which means her father is waiting up for her, despite her assurances that he didn’t have to.

“Well, this is me,” she smiles sweetly up at him. “Thank you for walking with me. It was nice.”

“You live here?” Magnus looks up in surprise at the sign.

“Huh? Oh yeah, my dad owns this place. He’s a carpenter.”

Magnus looks thoughtful for a moment. “Well… I guess it really is fate then.”

“What is?”

“I have an apprenticeship at ‘The Hammer and Tongs.’ I start tomorrow.”

* * *

 

Magnus, true to his word, starts work the next morning in her father’s shop. He’s rather skilled for someone who claims to have no experience in woodworking. He’s hardworking and incredibly respectful of her father. They get along right off the bat.

Her father expresses his joy at having someone around who is excited about woodworking and carpentry. Which… is fair. Julia knows woodworking, she knows carpentry. She knows them, and learned so many skills from her father, but…

Fate called her elsewhere.

Julia would rather spend time training and fighting than whittling away at wood. She’s always been that way, but more so recently that things in Raven’s Roost have gone sour. She expresses this to Magnus, one day while he’s working on sanding down a dining table.

Magnus hums and nods in agreement, “I prefer action, myself. I won’t just sit by while people are being hurt.” He frowns. “But, you know, I’ve done a lot of fighting in my time. It’s nice to do something peaceful.

Julia laughs.

“You’re talking like your an old man! ‘Back in my day I fought a hundred battles!’ How much fighting have you _really_ done, Old Man Magnus?”

He looks up at her from his work with a puzzled expression. “What! I’ve done loads of fighting!”

“Oh yeah? Like when?”

Magnus hunches his back and pitches his voice in a terrible impression of an old man. “Well, it all started when I was just a little boy...”

They laugh, and that’s how it starts. That’s how they begin to tell each other everything.

There’s something about Magnus, at first, that makes Julia… almost suspicious. It’s just that, the more she seems to learn about him, the more things there are she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know where he came from, what he was doing before this. She _does_ know about the dog he saved when he was a boy, his favorite flavor of pie, and that he’s somehow very good at carving small, wooden ducks, despite claiming to have no experience with woodworking before.

It makes her… Not wary, maybe, but curious. It’s his own business, anyway. It really doesn’t matter (except that it does matter, because she already likes him and wants him to stay.)

The problem is that Magnus is just so _earnest_. He smiles broadly, and it’s a smile that reaches his eyes. He laughs loudly and openly… and cries openly too. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and his thoughts on his face, so she can’t help but believe every word he says.

They talk about battles, even though he misremembers details. Places that don’t show up on maps, with names he can’t remember, with scars that must have faded. She doesn’t think he’s lying, he can’t be lying, but sometimes the things that Magnus tries to tell her don’t make sense.

“He’s just trying to impress you,” her father chuckles when she tells him about her concern. He might be, she’ll admit, but that’s not it. Past all the bluster, he tells her things _honestly_. He tells her things that don’t quite make sense.

She realizes that he’s a fighter, that he’s probably taken a lot of bad hits, and that her father, too, has gaps or fuzzy memories as he gets older. She doesn’t press too hard whenever Magnus gets that look on his face like he can’t quite remember something. Instead, she asks questions to steer the story somewhere else.

She tells him stories of her own. She tells him about growing up in Raven’s Roost. She tells him about the dog she had when she was younger. She tells him about her mother.

She tells him about _Kalen_.

“So, this Kalen guy,” Magnus mumbles around the nails he’s holding in his mouth. He’s working on a new chair for the tavern. The previous chair was broken in a bar fight when one of Kalen’s so-called guards refused to pay for his tab. Malcolm, the owner and barkeep of the place, tried to settle things. Instead, he got a black eye, a broken chair, and a lot of spilled whiskey.

Everything about it makes Julia _so angry._

“This Kalen guy…” Magnus repeats once he’s taken the nails out of his mouth to start hammering one into the leg of the chair. “Why does he need so many guards around anyway? Why does he have so many _military-trained, hired guards_ for that matter? You said they’re not even from around here. What does he want ‘em for?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s planning, but they’re certainly not for keeping the peace, that’s for sure. He’s got a whole platoon of them at his beck ‘n call and for what? To bully bar keepers and tear apart shops? It’s madness.”

“Hmm.” He frowns at the chair. “I don’t like it.”

“Nobody likes it,” Julia says. “But nobody wants to do anything about it. Everybody’s too afraid.”

“You want to do something about it though,” Magnus points out.

“They’re testing us,” she explains. “Pushing boundaries. Seeing how much they can get away with. If we don’t stand up for ourselves soon, they’ll think they can get away with anything.”

She pauses to hand Magnus another nail.

“Kalen wants this town for  _something._  I’m not sure I want to find out what by waiting around.”

“Then let’s do it!” Magnus exclaims. “Let’s stand up to him!”

“What, just the two of us?” she asks incredulously.

“Hell yeah! We’ll kick his ass!” he shouts, accidentally bumping the chair he’s working on in his excitement.

Julia chuckles. “Alright big guy. You and me.”

It’s a nice thought, fixing everything with her own two hands.

* * *

 

Magnus stays true to his word. He stands up to Kalen.

At first, it’s just that. Just Magnus standing in front of one of Kalen’s goons and saying _You’re a bully, and we’re not going to take this_. Just the two of them, Magnus and Julia saying _I’m not going to let you do this._ And then it’s Malcolm the barkeep telling the guards _You’re money’s no good here. Get out of my tavern._ It’s the cobbler throwing the guards’ boots he’s been repairing out into the street. It’s Stephen Waxman telling Kalen to his face that no, he will not make him a new desk for the Governor's office.

It’s taking pot shots at guards from trees and sending the new armor shipment in the wrong direction. And then it’s Magnus standing over a table covered with maps, surrounded by people who are waiting for him to come up with a plan.

* * *

 

It's the middle of the night before what will be their final stand when Magnus hears someone enter his room. He jolts awake at the sound of footsteps near his bed and reaches for his axe.

"It's me!" Julia whispers urgently. "It's me, I'm sorry, it's just me."

"Jules... Sorry, you startled me. What are you doing up?

"I... I couldn't sleep. I'm just on edge. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, I'll just go-"

"Wait, Jules" Magnus reaches out and takes a gentle hold of her arm. "It's okay, c'mere."

He sits up on the bed with his feet over the edge and makes room for her next to him. She sits down and leans on his shoulder, holding his hand in both of hers.

"You should be resting," she protests.

"I wasn't getting much sleep anyway,” he confesses. “I'm on edge too."

"I'm worried about tomorrow."

"You don't think our plan is going to work?"

"It's mostly your plan, you know. And, it's a very good plan Magnus, it's the best plan we've got! I just-" she sighs. "I know that it's not going to be clean. People are going to get hurt, Magnus. People are going to die and I... I'm scared."

"Jules," he takes her face in his hand. "I won't let anything bad happen to you. I'll protect you with my life."

She laughs a little, but tears are starting to form in the corners of her eyes. "That's exactly what I'm worried about. I don’t want anything to happen to you."

He pulls her into his chest.

"Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise."

"You can't know that."

"Come on, we've got fate on our side."

She huffs, "That's not how fate works. Fate is about... Knowing there are things you can't control and letting go. I can't control this Magnus. I can't-"

"That's why we have to do everything we can with our own hands. You taught me that. I promise you, Jules. Everything is going to be fine. We'll make it through this."

"I love you. You know that, right? I love you, Magnus Burnsides. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Hey, that's my line! I love you too Jules."

They kiss softly and hold each other tightly, then lay back in the bed and try to get some sleep until morning comes.

* * *

 

“Just… be careful, Jules. Stick close to me.”

She fights the urge to roll her eyes at him. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

“I know… I just don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you.”

“Okay. I'll try to stay close. Someone's gotta watch your back too, you know?” She grins up at him.

He grins right back. “I love you Jules,” then he leans down and softly presses a kiss to her forehead. And then he turns forward and steels himself for the fight.

It’s a relatively short battle. The months leading up to it were full of exhaustion and anticipation, but all the hard work had already been done. This final skirmish was mostly a formality: a way to make Kalen leave Raven’s Roost for good.

It’s bloody and messy. Julia loses track of Magnus fairly quickly, he rushes in and is lost to the chaos. In the aftermath, she searches for him. The moment there seems to be no more enemies left to fight she looks for his face, and only his face.

_Please, please be okay._

She finds him, standing tall in front of city hall, surrounded by a few of the townspeople that came to fight, and a few of Kalen’s soldiers with their weapons on the ground. Magnus has his axe lowered to Kalen’s neck.

“It’s over Kalen. Raven’s Roost doesn’t belong to you anymore. Leave, and never come back.”

She approaches behind them and puts a hand on Magnus’s shoulder. The silence in that moment is heavy, as Kalen can do nothing but scramble to stand, and then run. He is bitter, and angry, but he cannot protest. There’s nothing to say.

Finally, Kalen is out of sight, and it’s over.

Magnus finally turns to her with a sigh of relief. There’s blood dripping down his face and his left eye is squinted shut. He winces, even as he asks “Are you alright Jules?” He goes to cover his face with his hand.

“Here,” she stops him. “Let me.”

She presses a healing touch to his face, covering the wounded eye with her hand. She can see him sag in relief as the pain fades. She can tell it will scar, but she’s certain that his eye will be fine. She tells him so, and all the while he’s just looking at her with love, smiling.

Her heart swells with all of the affection that's in his eyes. She's sure that no one else could ever love her any more than the man right in front of her does.

She feels the same.

* * *

 

Magnus is kneeling in the grass in the center of the park. The park itself is just a little off from the town center, and ended up taking a lot of damage in the battle. Some trees were felled, the ground was torn up, but the park is still here. The town is still here. Magnus is still here. Currently, he’s working on building a gazebo for the park. The town deserves something nice after everything that’s happened, this is the least he can do.

“Need any help?”

He looks up behind him to see Julia. _His fiance,_ Julia.

“Nah, I think I’ve got it. I’m sure you’re needed somewhere else,” he grins. Julia has been in high demand after everything. Between her skills with carpentry, her strength, her abilities as a paladin, as a healer, as a leader… Everyone looks to her for what to do as they find their footing in this new world they are making together.

She sighs, “And here I was hoping we’d get to spend some time together today.”

Magnus chuckles. He stands up to fold her in his arms and give her a soft kiss on the top of her head.

“Soon. After this, we’ll have all the time in the world.”

She smiles up at him, “I can’t wait to marry you.”

They share a kiss, warm and full of love and promise. Magnus can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her. He’s ready.

* * *

 

When Raven’s Roost crumbles, Julia Burnsides is asleep in her bed.

She went to sleep the night before thinking of Magnus, hoping that he was safe, that his journey was going well, and thinking of how her father was going to wake her in the morning to help him work on a commission: a desk for the new governor of Raven’s Roost.

She went to sleep, thinking of those she loved, and did not wake up.

Or rather, when she awoke, it wasn't to her room in her house in Raven's Roost, but to soft, white light.

_Awake, my child._

Julia looks around for the source of the voice, but only sees white.

_Arise, my paladin_.

It's only then that Julia realizes she is lying flat on her back. She stands up, slowly, and reorients herself in the space. The soft, white light is all around her still, but in front of her sits a familiar figure. Despite having never seen the shape of her goddess before, she knows who it is.

A beautiful woman, seated in a rocking chair with long white, shimmering hair that falls around her shoulders and a long, white, shimmering cloak laid across her lap. She seems to be adding the finishing touches to it as she looks up at Julia and smiles.

_Hello._

“Hi,” Julia responds. “You- You’re… Fate.”

_Yes._ The woman responds. _And you’re Julia._

“Yes,” she repeats. Speaking feels… strange. Like her words aren’t really forming in her mouth, like her voice isn’t really coming from her throat. She looks down at her hands, and while they look the same as always they also feel… strange. “I’m dead,” she decides.

_Yes, for some time now I’m afraid._ Fate looks down at the fabric she’s weaving. _I had to make sure it was finished._ The needle in her fingers deftly moves through the edge of the fabric.

Julia watches her work for a few moments, quietly, peacefully, before another thought occurs to her.

“My family?” she asks.

_Many died with you in Raven’s Roost. Your father was among them._ Fate looks up from her work and looks Julia right in the eyes. _I’m sorry for your loss_.

There’s something incredibly powerful about having a goddess look you in the eyes and tell you that they’re sorry, and feeling that they mean it.

Julia feels distantly sad, like the kind of sadness you carry with you after a loved one has died long ago. It’s a dull kind of mournfulness as opposed to the sharp ache of grief.

“Magnus?”

_Oh, he’s still around._ Fate says vaguely with a wave of her hand as she cuts loose a thread. _There,_ She holds up the cloak to get one more good look at it. _It’s finally done._

A moment passes where they both look at it. It’s as white and bright as the space around them, but glowing with rainbow, iridescent colors as the fabric shifts in the light.

Lady Fate begins to fold the fabric in her lap as she smiles softly at Julia and speaks.

_You believed in me in your life. Do you believe in me now?_

Julia fights the urge to laugh. Her goddess is sitting in front of her and _now_ she asks if Julia believes?

“I do.”

_You served me during your life, but that does not mean that you have to serve me in death… Would you like to?_

“You… You want me to?”

_I would like for you to serve as my emissary. You have died, but I have suspended your soul, your spirit in this moment. I cannot promise that everything I ask will be easy, but I will promise that everything you do will be important._

Julia doesn’t even stop to consider it.

“Of course! Of course I will continue to serve you, my Goddess.”

Fate smiles, pleased.

_Good._ She holds out the folded cloak towards Julia. _This is for you._

Julia approaches and carefully hold her hands out to receive the gift. “Are you sure you want to give me this?”

_Of course. I made it for you._

Istus lays the cloak in her hands. It’s impossibly soft, almost too soft to be real. It doesn’t seem to have any weight, or any texture to it, like it really is made out of light.

“Thank you,” Julia says quietly while she wraps the cloak around her shoulders.

_It should keep you safe._

* * *

 

Being an agent of Fate is stranger than Julia has ever imagined, but somehow she’s always at ease around Lady Istus. It’s peaceful, wherever they are. Most of the time Julia just watches her knit, but she never gets bored. The repetitive movements of the needle and her fingers are soothing, and Julia is perfectly content to just sit there and watch. She’s been watching her add to an infinitely long scarf.

Occasionally, a thread will catch and rumple the fabric in an odd way. Istus will frown, and sometimes will pull out scissors to cut a thread loose before moving on. Sometimes, however, the thread won’t cut.

That’s when she turns to Julia.

_My child, will you do something for me?_ Fate always asks.

“Of course,” Julia always responds.

And then the goddess of fate will send her off on some errand. She’ll give Julia a pocket watch and tell her to go stand on a street corner, wait for a halfling man to pass, tell him the time, and then come back.

So Julia takes the watch and stands on the corner, and waits for a halfling man to rush past her. She tells him the time, and he thanks her and rushes away. And then Julia returns to Fate.

It feels strange to her, to do so little. When she was alive, she fully believed that to believe in Fate was to know that there were things that you couldn’t change, but to her that had always meant that she had to _try_. She did as much as possible to help those around her, to change fate with her own hands instead of praying for fate to change. She’s still doing that now, but everything she does is… smaller.

_As the Goddess of Fate, I am not allowed to directly interfere,_ Istus tells her one day. _And, as my emissary, technically you can’t directly interfere either. However…_ Fate pulls at a thread that had snagged before Julia left to move someone’s  bookcase an inch to the right. The thread now pulls through cleanly, and Fate smiles. _Little things like misplacing an object or helping someone when they’ve fallen down… Well, that’s hardly interfering, wouldn’t you say?_

They both smile, and it feels like a secret. Julia doesn’t always know how things turn out, but she knows that she’s helping. She sees it in the tapestry Fate weaves.

* * *

 

One day, Fate asks something different from her usual errands.

_There is a message I need you to deliver,_ she says.

“Oh? To who?”

_There is a man named Kravitz. Much like you, after his life he entered the service of his goddess: The Raven Queen._

“Oh,” The thought of other agents of other deities did not occur to Julia until that moment, but it made sense. She hadn’t met anyone else like her yet, but now that she knew they were out there, she wanted to. “What’s the message?”

_There is a particular soul he’s been hunting. A lich: someone who strayed from the natural order of life and death and combined their soul with their arcane power. I need you to tell Kravitz to stop. At least for now._ _Normally this would be Her domain but…_ Istus holds up the scarf and shows it to Julia. _I think, in this case however, it would be best if we… leave this thread alone, and see where it leads._

Julia nods, “I'll deliver your message. Where should I find Kravitz?”

_You'll find him in the Astral Plane. It should be fairly easy, once you're there._

Istus takes her needle and pulls it through the open air in front them, slicing open a portal for Julia to step through.

_Oh, and take this with you_ . She holds out her golden needle and places it in Julia's palm. _This will help you return when you are ready. You'll find that it can be an effective weapon as well._

As she says that, the needle in Julia’s hand glows brighter and begins to grow. It's stretches out until it settles into the shape of a sword, shiny and golden like the needle, but solid and sharp.

“Am I supposed to fight this guy?” Julia exclaims, taken aback. She thought she was supposed to deliver a message, not fight another emissary.

_Kravitz? Oh, no. Definitely not. You may have need of a weapon soon, but I doubt that will be today._

Julia relaxes. “Right.” She steps through the portal her goddess created and finds herself in a different plane.

The soft white light of the place she shares with her goddess gives way to deep black. If the white space is warm like spring, then this place is cool like autumn. It's not harsh or cold, but a soft chill that is, after the initial shock, keep comfortable, like jumping into a chilly pond on a hot day. It's soothing in a different way than watching Lady Istus sew is soothing, but it's comforting all the same.

Julia finds herself looking around the expanse of darkness around her, wondering where to start looking for this Kravitz person.

As she thinks that, the black shifts around her like the rustling of dark curtains, parting to leave her standing in…

What looks like an office. There's maps with markings hanging up on the walls, along with piles of papers and books scattered around every available surface. The whole room is a deep black like the space she was just in, but there are deep red accents in what little decoration there is, along with an excess of candlelight.

In the middle of the room is a skeleton slumped over a desk, doing what appears to be paperwork.

“Hello?” Julia asks.

The skeleton jumps, making a clattering sound.

“Oh, hello,” a thick cockney accent comes from the empty skull. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there! What brings you to the Astral Plane?” The skeleton puts down the quill he was writing with and leans forward.

“Are you… Kravitz?” She asks.

“Yes, I am Kravitz. You must be Istus’s new recruit…?”

“Julia,” she supplies. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kravitz.” She wasn’t really expecting the emissary of Death to be a literal skeleton, but really, it shouldn’t be surprising.

“How can I help you then, Julia?”

“I have a message for you from Lady Istus.”

Kravitz nods for her to continue.

“You have been hunting someone, a lich?”

“Yes,” Kravitz answers. “Slippery bugger. Everytime I get close he seems to disappear into thin air. It’s very irritating.”

Julia nods, “I can imagine.”

“So, what about him?”

“Lady Istus asks that you stop pursuing him.”

“What?! Why?” Kravitz’s outburst causes his bones to clatter together. “He’s a lich, what could she possibly want with him!”

“It seems like she wants to see what happens if he’s left alone.”

“If someone as dangerous as a lich is left alone, people could get hurt you know.”

Julia doesn’t want people to get hurt either. That’s the last thing she wants, but she trusts her goddess.

“Hmm… I don’t see the harm in watching him to make sure nobody gets hurt. Just don’t- kill him, or whatever.” She smiles sheepishly. “I’m not exactly sure what you do.”

“Well, normally I would take him into custody and lock him in the Eternal Stockade for his crimes against the Raven Queen…” Kravitz sighs heavily, rib cage rattling. “Whatever happened to Fate not interfering?”

It seems like a rhetorical question, but she answers anyway. “I think that’s the point. She only asks that you not interfere as well. I couldn’t tell you why, but she seems to think it’s important.” Julia smiles reassuringly.

“The Raven Queen isn’t going to be happy about this, you know.”

“Lady Istus assured me that she’d speak with the Raven Queen. She just wanted me to let you know, personally.”

“Well… thank you, then. I’ll try to keep an eye on him, although,” he turns his skeletal head to look at one of the maps on the wall through empty eye sockets. “I can’t say I’ve had much luck anyway. Maybe it’s for the best.”

“Thank you,” Julia says.

“Will that be all then?”

“Of course, I’ll let you get back to work. It was nice meeting you, Kravitz.”

“You as well, Julia.”

Julia turns and takes her needle in hand, cutting through the air and stepping through the portal back into the white space.

_How did it go, my child?_

“It went well, I think. Kravitz was very reasonable about it.”

_Good. That is good._

“Did you want this-” Julia holds the needle in her palm out to her goddess.

_No, my child. Keep it. I have many more. Besides…_ She pauses, and looks out into the distance, even though there appears to be nothing but the white space surrounding them. _I fear you will have much need of it in the days to come._

* * *

 

The Reaper, Kravitz, has had a very long day. There were a lot of escaped souls he’s going to need to handle, and a few bounties he’s going to have to keep an eye on. He’s about to go back to the astral plane, when one of them calls his name.

“Tell Julia I love her.”

There are a lot of people named Julia in the Astral Plane. It’s not a terribly uncommon name, after all. Of course, Kravitz begins to tell Magnus Burnsides this. Nevermind that he _could_ sort through some paperwork and look up which one and find out where she is, but… well, he does know of one Julia, doesn’t he? Given who she works for, it wouldn’t be a coincidence at all for her to be _Magnus’s_ Julia, would it?

“I’ll tell her,” he promises.

And after all the cleanup and paperwork involved in the absolute mess that was Lucas Miller’s lab, he tears a portal in reality and goes to find her.

She’s standing cliffside, looking out at the ocean and the sun that is setting behind it.

“Julia,” he greets, and she startles from her thoughts to look at him.

She looks confused. “Who-?”

“Oh, it’s uh, Kravitz?” he supplies. “We met before-”

“Oh! Kravitz! I didn’t recognize you.”

“Oh, that’s alright-”

“-You were a skeleton the last time I saw you,” she laughs.

“Oh… Oh! Ugh, gods I’m sorry. Usually when I meet new people I’ll put on my skin. How silly of me, my apologies.”

“It’s alright. Did you need me for something?”

“Actually, I have a message for you.”

“From the Raven Queen?”

“No, actually, it’s not for business, it’s a personal message.” He pauses for a moment, not sure how to deliver this kind of message other than to just say it. “Magnus wanted me to let you know that he loves you. ‘Tell Julia I love her,’ were his exact words, I think.”

Julia looks shocked for a moment, then brings her hands up to her face and starts to cry.

“I- Oh my god, Kravitz, I forgot about him! I mean, I didn’t forget he _existed_ I just forgot! I haven’t thought about him, or how he’s doing in- in- in I don’t know how long!” she blurts out.

“Hey, listen,” Kravitz puts his hands on Julia’s shoulders. “It’s alright! Really, when I first died it didn’t even cross my mind to check on my family for, well, what ended up being years,” he reassures her. “Dying, especially in both of our cases, it can be very disorienting.”

“I just- I feel absolutely _terrible_!” she cries. “I miss him so badly, how could I forget?”

“Julia, it’s alright! Honestly, this may sound unkind, but it’s better than following your loved ones around, obsessing over the living,” Kravitz explains. “That would make you more of a ghost than anything. Things will… well, I don’t want to just say ‘Things will get better,’ but really, they will.”

“If you see him again, will you tell him that I love him too? And that I miss him?” Julia asks.

“Of course!” he agrees, “Well... Hopefully I don’t see him again, for his own sake, since I’d probably have to arrest him.”

Julia looks momentarily mortified.

“Wait… he isn’t- is he?”

“Dead? Oh, no! No, no no. He’s perfectly fine. Alive and well last I saw him. I _was_ going to arrest him but he and his cohorts were actually very helpful in the case I was working. Although…” He gives Julia a thoughtful look. “I don’t suppose you know when he died 17 times.”

“He... what?” Julia stares at him in shock.

Kravitz summons his book of bounties.

“My records show that he’s died a number of times, along with his two compatriots. I don’t suppose you know why?”

She shakes her head at him slowly, “No… he… I mean there was one battle where he- I mean it was a close call but he didn’t _die_!”

“No, no that wouldn’t be it,” Kravitz sighs, poofing the book back out of existence.“Well, a mystery for another day, I suppose.”

“So, he helped you with something, so you’re not going to arrest him for all those… whatever those were?” she clarifies.

“Oh, no. Not unless he does it again. He also beat me at cards.”

Julia gives Kravitz a strange look.

“Magnus is terrible at cards.”

Kravitz shrugs. “Must’ve been fate.”

“Must have…” she turns away from him now and looks back at the sea.

“Well! That was the message, anyway. I’ll leave you to your thoughts now.”

“Thank you, Kravitz. I appreciate it.”

“Lovely to see you, Julia,” he says as he cuts a tear with his scythe back to the Astral Plane.

“You too.”

* * *

 

In the quiet of the evening, Julia looks up from the ocean and into the sky and all of the stars overhead. She’s on the outskirts of Raven’s Roost. She hadn’t even realized, until she had thought of Magnus.

She whispers quietly to the night, “Magnus Burnsides, what have you gotten yourself into?”

* * *

 

It can only be fate.

He doesn't know it at the time, but it could only be fate that leads him to cross paths with Taako and Merle. Only fate could have led the three of them to find Barry, to find Lup's staff and the gauntlet. Could have only been fate that led to them joining the Bureau, led to everything that happened afterwards.

That led to this.

Magnus wasn't angry until he walked in.

Until that moment, Magnus had been focused on the mission. They needed the help of a goddess, and so after the goddess they went. The only thought that had entered his mind prior to that one was, _Oh, Istus. I know her. That's Julia’s goddess._

So it wasn't until they were faced with Lady Fate herself that Magnus began to feel the weight of all his doubts crashing in on him again. Julia died unjustly, unfairly, at the hands of a coward, long before her time. How could that be the will of Fate?

They rush into the temple and enter a moment suspended in time, even apart from the bubble they've been trapped in.

The woman in the temple is sitting on the steps leading up to the pulpit at the front of the chapel, knitting. She hears them enter, and looks up at them and smiles.

Magnus is struck silent.

"Well, the three of you are just in time." She puts her knitting down, giving them her full attention. They're standing in front of a literal goddess, with all of her attention focuses on them. They're standing in front of Julia's goddess.

“Fellas,” Merle says. “Let me handle this one.”

Merle clearly has no idea what he’s doing. He compliments her hair, maybe hits on her, and definitely gets her name wrong.

“- I don't blame you for not knowing about me, I'm sort of an older goddess in this realm. My followers are few and, most of them are somewhat lacking in devotion.” Her smile turns sad as she looks at Magnus directly. “It's hard to get behind a goddess who's all about enforcing the whims of Fate when the whims of Fate deliver nothing but mass-destruction upon you… But, it's good to see the three of you."

Magnus still can't bring himself to say anything.

She calls them closer.

"Look, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know but this town is-

“Time is sick, here. The rules of Fate aren't being obeyed as much as they're being made a mockery of. The temporal chalice, or whatever's controlling it is making this town and the people in it relive the same horrible day, the same horrible hour over and over again. You may not want to hear this, boys, but you _are_ dying. Time isn't rewinding, it's repeating.”

She tells them more, She tells them they’re special, that they're the only versions of themselves that exist, that are doing what they're doing. She tells them they've been her emissaries for... Almost their entire lives.

Magnus finally speaks.

"Istus, I'm sorry but there is some really shitty stuff that has happened in all of our lives! Like, Phandalin? That was supposed to happen?"

“No, it wasn't. But you tried to stop it. I want you to make it formal. I want you to become my emissaries.”

“What about Julia?”

She pauses, and the moment is silent.

"You miss her."

"Of course I-!” Magnus holds himself back from shouting. “She believed in you! You're telling me that what happened to her, was supposed to happen?"

"Magnus, my child. Come here."

He does, and she takes his face gently in her hands. She looks at him like a mother would, with love.

“You have been told, I assume, that fate means everything happens for a reason. I am here to tell you that everything happens because it _happens_ , and that it's my job to make sure it _does_ happen. Does that make sense?” she asks him.

“... Not really.”

She thinks for another moment, before explaining: “Just because things happen for a _reason_ doesn't mean that the reason isn't, well... _shitty_. I have no more power than you do to make things happen the way I want them. I can only do my best to make things a little bit better.”

Magnus is shaking. He doesn't know if he wants to cry or yell, but he's standing there, shaking.

"It's not fair. "

"No, Magnus. What happened to you isn't fair. I'm very sorry for your loss. I can promise you, though you may not feel it now, things will be alright again, someday. I promise.

Magnus doesn’t know how things can be alright again, when it comes to Julia, but he nods. He backs up to joins his friends.

"In fact, I need your help to make things alright here in Refuge. As I said, it’s impossible for me to directly interfere, but as my emissaries you could make things right.”

She gives them gifts, tells them what they need to know, and one last thing:

_You’re going to be amazing._

* * *

 

When the Hunger finally comes, for Julia, it comes suddenly.

Her goddess had been quiet, lately, more pensive. The color of the world had seemed a little duller, the skies a little darker, but other than that, Julia had not known what was coming.

She’s just finished another errand in the material plane and stepped back into the strange space she has come to know as home.

And it’s empty.

The Goddess Istus isn’t there. There’s no chair, no impossibly long scarf, nothing at all. The space is blank.

Julia looks around, confused, and calls out to her goddess.

There’s no response.

She takes her needle and cuts through the air, but nothing happens.

Suddenly, something crashes against the white space. Black, shuddering ooze with sharp bits of color mixed throughout it starts to fill the space. Inky tendrils make their way toward her, and Julia summons her sword to cut through them.

She backs up until she hits a wall. Behind her, she can see more of that strange darkness. It begins to seep up from all around her, until she can’t see the soft white light anymore. It can’t quite reach her, like she’s standing at the bottom of a turned over glass.

Julia doesn’t know what the hell this thing is, what’s going on, where her goddess is or how she can escape. She only knows two things:

She is trapped. And she is alone.

* * *

 

They’ve joked before that what they really need on their team is a competent woman, but in this exact moment, with his friends, his _family_ standing beside him on the ship that was his home longer than any home he’s ever had, facing down an enemy bigger, stronger than has ever existed, Magnus Burnsides _really_ thinks they could use the help. Even with the century’s worth of memories he’s recalled now, he still can’t think of anyone else.

The only one he wants to call, is her.

The bond engine is spinning quickly, and shining threads start to weave together a tapestry in the shape of a person. It’s then that he sees her, shimmering in the light on the deck of the Starblaster. Julia stands before him, tall and proud, shining in all her splendor, cloaked in a rainbow tapestry that Fate wove.

She’s as beautiful as the day he first met her.

“Julia,” he says in a breath as all the air rushes out of his lungs.

“Magnus,” she speaks softly, but her words are clear. “I’m here.”

She smiles at him, and then turns, lifting her large greatsword and raising it above her head. The sword already appears to be made wholly of light. It glows gold, and shines brighter as she wields it. With great strength she brings it down over the shadowed abomination shaped like John, spreading light throughout the Hunger he’s connected too. The Hunger screams in pain, and falters. The battle is far from finished, but the damage is done, and Julia starts to fade.

“Wait!” Magnus reaches out towards her. “Don’t go!”

“I’m here,” she reassures even as she disappears. “I’ll be here. Survive, Magnus. You can win.”

“I know,” he says. He knows they can win. He knows they can. “I love you Jules.”

“I love you too.”

Her smile is the last thing he sees before she fades completely, the bond engine slowing, the Hunger rallying. Magnus turns to face it head on. And, as with most things, Magnus rushes in.

* * *

 

It's Angus’s cry that declares their victory. “Johann was right! We won!”

And all those around them cheer.

When it’s finally over, Magnus can hardly breathe. Because it’s _over_ . Over one hundred years he’s been running, fighting… _they’ve_ been running, fighting. His friends, his family, he remembers them now. He remembers them all, and he has them _back_. Lup, Barry, the Captain… He remembers what Lucretia is to him, how much she means to him. He remembers Taako and Merle too, really remembers them even though they’ve been right beside him all along.

As it all comes rushing back he sees the people around him, the people of this plane that became his family too. Carey is holding Killian and they’re smiling, and yelling, and laughing. He sees Avi sharing a drink with the director. Angus is on his shoulders, with his hands on his head and his voice right above him. Magnus can look up and see him smiling. He sees everyone around him smiling: with relief, with pride, with pure joy.

He watches Taako hold onto Kravitz, with Lup practically glued to his side, and Barry right behind her. He sees Merle sitting on the ground with a stone of farspeech in his hand, talking to his kids. Davenport is sitting beside him with a grin on his face and tears in his eyes.

Magnus feels like he sees everything going on at once. Instead of the battle, it’s now where time seems to slow so he can experience every detail at once. He can see every smile, every tear, hear every laugh and every cheer. It almost feels like he’s taken a step back from everything and is viewing it from another plane. His eyes are scanning the crowds for her, even though he knows she’s gone.

“Magnus.”

Just behind him, was her voice.

It’s Angus that turns around first, wiggling out of Magnus’s grasp and starting to slip off of his shoulders. Magnus puts him down gently as he turns around.

She’s there, right in front of him. She looks just as she had a moment ago, an hour ago. She’s glowing, too. Magnus always thought she glowed, but now it’s viceral, tangible.

“You’re here,” he says, dumbfounded.

She only smiles up at him. “I said I would be!”

Magnus rushes forward, putting his hands on her shoulders to make sure she’s really there.

“How…” He shakes his head. “You were- I thought you died.”

Her smile softens, but doesn’t fade, “I did.” She reaches up with her hand to trace the line of the scar that goes across his eye. “But, you said it yourself, you know? Not even then.”

_‘Til Death do us part?_

It’s then that the dam inside Magnus breaks. He feels everything that he’s been holding back: the pain, the relief, the joy. It’s then that he lets himself hold her, wrapping his arms around her and collapsing against her.

“You’re real,” he says through his tears. “I missed you so much, Jules.”

She holds him back, squeezing him tightly.

“I love you, Magnus. I love you so much.”

He looks up at her, taking in the sight of her beautiful face as he returns the words he hadn’t been able to say for so long.

“I love you too.”

They laugh and smile at each other, crying together for a moment before Magnus scoops her up off the ground and into the air.

“Hey everyone!” he shouts. “Meet my wife!”

Julia bursts out laughing and puts her arms around his neck.

“Magnus,” she leans in closer.

“Jules,” he smiles back at her as she leans up to kiss him.

 

* * *

 

It's an anniversary of sorts. Three years after the Hunger descended on this plane and was destroyed. Three years after their journey throughout a century, their mission, had officially come to a close. There were celebrations across all of Faerun, but this was a family affair.

Magnus and Julia are standing in the kitchen of their large, three story wood cabin that sits in the woods a few miles from the newly rebuilt Raven's Roost. The cabin itself is newly finished, just in time for hosting this family reunion.

Magnus leans over Julia, peering into the pot on the stove.

“You know, Taako's going to bring more than enough food for everyone just on his own.”

Julia smiles up at him, “I know, but we're hosting, so we should probably have _something_.” She stirs the contents of the pot around, a hearty looking stew, before gently setting the lid on. “Besides, this is simple enough to make. We'll just let it simmer for a while, and it should be ready by the time everyone gets here.”

Coincidentally, at that exact moment there's a knock on the door.

“Well, someone's here early. I wonder who it is.”

Both of them leave the kitchen to go answer the door, finding Angus McDonald. He's much taller than he was the last time Magnus saw him, and that was only a few months ago.

“Ango! You're here early!”

“Oh! Sorry sir! I can come back-”

“Don't be silly! You're just the first one here, that's all.”

“Hi Miss Julia, hello Magnus, sir. It's good to see you both!”

“Good to see you too kiddo!” Magnus wraps Angus in a big, bone-squishing hug. “No trouble making your way here, right?”

“No, sir. The directions were very clear. And, I _am_ a very good detective.”

“How's the school doing? Lucas behaving?”

Angus laughs. “Lucas hasn't been doing any necromancy crimes. Don't worry sir, Uncle Kravitz already asked me to keep an eye on him.

The school is doing well! The students this year were wonderful! Although, it _is_ nice to have a break.”

They chat for a while in the living room, hearing all about Angus’s school adventures, before there’s another knock at the door.

“I got it,” Magnus offers while Julia continues chatting with Angus.

He opens the door to see Carey and Killian grinning at him.

“Hey Magnus,” Killian greets.

“Hey, bud!” Carey tackles Magnus with a hug.

“You made it!” Magnus exclaims excitedly. “Come on in! I’m so glad you guys could make it!”

Carey gently punches Magnus in the side.

“We said that we would!”

Magnus laughs and ushers them into the living room. It’s cozy, with a warm fire going and plenty of empty seats for when everyone is all together.

The next to arrive is Avi, flushed a little from the cold, waiting at the door with a bottle of wine in his hand.

“Avi!” Magnus yells and scoops his friend into a crushing hug. “Thanks for coming!”

“‘Course,” Avi hugs back. “Good to see you dude! Nice place!”

“Thanks!” Magnus pats Avi on the back and leads him inside. “Got it done just in time!”

Magnus returns to his place beside Julia on the couch, wrapping one big arm around her and smooching her on the cheek.

“Hey you,” she greets him with a kiss in return.

They settle into the warmth of the room and the conversation when a portal tears open in the middle of their living room, and two spectral beings in red robes float out.

“What up party people!” Lup hollers as she quickly becomes her corporeal self again.

“Hi everybody,” Barry similarly returns to his normal-looking self.

“Barry, Lup!” Julia jumps up excitedly from the couch as Lup approaches to give her a warm hug. The two don’t get to see each other too often, but they have always enjoyed each other’s company.

Barry shoulders Magnus, “Hey bud. Nice place you got.”

“Thanks,” Magnus smiles. “We worked really hard on it.”

When there’s a knock at the door again, Julia offers to get it.

“Lucretia,” Julia greets warmly. “Come on in.”

“Julia… this place is… well it’s lovely,” Lucretia gushes. “When he said you two were building a cabin in the woods I didn’t think it’d be so…” she looks around in wonderment. “Grand?”

Julia laughs, “He’s very proud of it. He wanted there to be enough room when everyone gets together.”

It’s a while before anyone else arrives, their next guests qualifying as fashionably late.

“Taako!” Magnus shouts. “You're here!”

“Kravitz,” Julia greets. “It's good to see you.”

“A pleasure, as always,” Kravitz leans down to give Julia a cordial kiss on the cheek.

Taako shoves past them and hangs cloak up on the rack.

“Well, we would have been here sooner, but those directions made _zero sense_! Seriously, turn left at the fork with the weird twisty tree? What the fuck my dude?”

Magnus laughs, “Sorry, Taako. I’m glad you managed to find us.”

“We could have just teleported here but _somebody_ thought it would be nice to go for a walk in the forest at night,” Kravitz explains. “And it was.”

“Shut up,” Taako hides his blush by yanking his hat off his head and sticking his whole arm into it, fishing for something. “I brought food,” he says as he starts pulling pans of wonderful smelling dishes out of a pocket dimension in his hat, stacking them into Kravitz’s willing arms.

“I’ll show you where the kitchen is,” Julia offers.

“No worries, my nose will lead the way,” Taako shrugs as he pulls out another steaming pan of food. “Is that stew I smell?”

“Yep!” Magnus replies.

“Nice,” Taako says, “I’ll just put these babies in the kitchen. Brb.”

Kravitz follows him to the kitchen as the rest of their family arrives.

“Sorry we're late,” Davenport apologizes as soon as he opens the door.

“Hey!” Magnus greets. “You didn't get lost did you?”

“Nah,” Merle says as he grabs Mookie by the hood of his coat while Mavis attempts to unzip him. “It just took a while to wrangle the kids.”

“Mavis was ready before you were Merle,” Davenport retorts.

“Thanks for picking them up Cap'n,” Magnus says. “I dunno if they made it here otherwise.”

Davenport frowns a little at him, “You don't have to keep calling me Captain, I told you that.”

“It's a nickname! You can't just get rid of it now!” Magnus follows him and the kids into the living room, Julia right behind them.

“Well, looks like that’s everybody!” Magnus announces as he walks toward the center of the room.

It’s a family reunion. They talk and laugh, they share stories from their lives since they’d last seen each other, they remember the day that brought them all together. It’s joyful, and a little teary. It’s warm, like home should feel like.

After dinner, Magnus steps outside to get some fresh air. Moments later, Julia follows.

He’s leaning on the porch railing, looking up at the stars. She quietly joins him.

“The night I met you was like this too. So clear and bright, you could see all the stars,” he tells her.

“I know,” she responds with a smile. “I remember.”

They stay like that for a while: the clatter of their loved ones inside, warmth and light coming from the windows of their new home, and the stars shining above them. They take a peaceful moment to bask in the love surrounding them.

Of all the splendor that they’ve seen, there isn’t anything more wonderful.

**Author's Note:**

> I never would have finished this story if it weren't for the people working alongside me. Just knowing that there were people who were working on art for this kept me excited and motivated, and seeing every iteration of their artwork inspired me to keep writing! This is the first, personal writing project that I have ever, truly finished (that wasn't a drabble or written in a rush at the last minute) so I'm incredibly proud that this exists now! If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. You can find me on tumblr [here](http://umbrellaxey.tumblr.com/) if you want to talk about those good, good adventure boys. Once again, huge, INCREDIBLE thanks to everyone involved with the TAZbang project, but especially [ naktine](http://naktine.tumblr.com/post/179464902935/julia-waxman-paladin-of-the-lady-fate-shining-in) [otternose](http://otternose.tumblr.com/post/179465549592/i-had-the-chance-to-participate-in) and[somniens](http://thecurseofscotland.tumblr.com/post/179464987215/heres-my-piece-for-the-taz-big-bang-check-out) who created some really lovely art for you to enjoy!


End file.
